(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a modular quick connect terminal block that is small and easily mounted. More particularly, the invention relates to a quick connect terminal block which may be prewired and used as a junction box for telephones.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Terminal connecting blocks are used extensively in the fields of electronics and communication. For example, they are used by the telephone industry in distribution cabinets for connecting conductors in a cable from an exchange to other conductors extending to various stations within a building. When a number of telephones are connected in a building, the person installing the telephones must connect an outside cable to conductors extending to various telephones within the building. The present method of installing telephones comprises manually securing the various wires in the outside cable to a distribution cabinet associated with the building. The wires from the telephones within the building are also manually connected to the distribution cabinet. In the distribution cabinet, the wires running to the telephones must be connected to the wire from the incoming cable. This type of connection requires a trained telephone installment person who knows which line from the cable to connect to the other lines directed to the telephones within the building. It should be understood that this process of connecting the telephones to the cable via a distribution cabinet is a time consuming task which is desirable accomplished by a skilled technician.
One type of terminal connecting block as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 3,234,498 comprises a plurality of connector elements arranged in spaced side-by-side rows of terminals in a connector block. Each element comprises a plurality of connectors joined together at a base portion. Each of the connectors is of the insulation penetrating type, i.e., the insulation on an electrical connecting wire is sheared when the wire is inserted in the conductor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,552 discloses interfitted conducting block modules containing insulation penetrating clips. The modules are constructed to facilitate piggy-back stacking.
My U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,942, issued Sept. 17, 1974 discloses and claims a separable electrical connector which permits a large number of additional electrical conductors to be connected to a terminal block containing clip-type electrical connectors without increasing the size of the block. The separable connector comprises a flat, elongate, electrically conductive element and a dielectricc retaining member for holding the electrically conductive element in contact with the upper portions of laterally adjacent electrical connectors which project upwardly from a terminal block. The conductive element comprises a flat base portion and at least one, e.g., one or two, pair of opposing contact fingers which project upwardly from the base portion and are integral with the base portion. The adjacent edge portions of the contact fingers are adapted to receive an electrical conductor therebetween. The retaining member comprises a casing which encloses a portion of the electrically conductive element. The top portions of the opposing contact fingers project above the casing so that an electrical conductor may be inserted between the opposing fingers. This device is intended for use only in connection with an already installed connecting block.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular quick connect terminal block that may be prewired so that the wires of an incoming cable may be quickly mounted to the block in such a manner that the wires of the cable are associated properly with the various telephones in a building.
It is an object of this invention to provide a modular quick-connect terminal block that is small, easily mounted and can be fit into console wiring where a rack or panel mounted block is very often needed, and which does not require that it be mounted in connection with an already installed connecting block.